New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, whose state already put in place methane regulations that served as a model for the EPA, said that the new methane rules enables the United States to lead by example and encourage other countries to take similar measures.
“Now we’ve got credibility to make sure that we can demonstrate to the whole world that we can hold polluters accountable and move the needle,” she told the press conference.
Some environmental groups praised the rules.
“Strong methane standards are essential to curb climate pollution and better protect the health and safety of workers and communities living near fossil fuel extraction,” Earthjustice’s vice president of litigation for climate and energy, Jill Tauber, said in a statement.
The rule will produce climate and health benefits of up to $7.6 billion a year through 2038, EPA said. It will also increase recovery of up to $13 billion of natural gas over the time period.
The rule differs somewhat from draft proposals EPA released in 2021 and 2022, in part by giving the industry more time to comply.
The agency also tweaked the Super Emitter Program so that third parties send information on methane leaks to EPA directly for verification. Previously they would have been able to send the information directly to companies, a provision the oil and gas industry said would put too much power in the hands of environmental groups that search for methane leaks.
The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry trade group, said it was reviewing the rule.
“To be truly effective, this rule must balance emissions reductions with the need to continue meeting rising energy demand,” Dustin Meyer, API senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs, said in a statement.
Exxon CEO Darren Woods told Reuters at COP28 that it still needs to review the rule but: “Conceptually, we’re supportive of it as long as it’s a reasonable and sound policy.”
BP said it “actively collaborated” with EPA as it worked on the final rule and “welcomes the finalization.”
Source: CNA
